Cellular container



July l2, 1949. w. B. CRANE ETAL CELLULAR CONTAINER Filed July 30. 1948 3 Shee'ts-Sheet 1 .III

Z7" Z5 /Z n -INVENTOR-"l Wzlon Z3. Crane,

in llllll W. B` CRANE EI'AL July 12, 1949.

CELLULAR CONTAINER Filed July so, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR YZZQ/z E. Crane,

BY /Z Eig,...

July l2, 1949.. w. B.YCRANE ErAL, 2,476,181

` CELLULAR CONTAINER Filed July 30, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 2g l IN VEN TORS Walom E Cram?,

Patented July 12, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,478,181 CELLULAR CONTAINER Walton B. Crane and William B. Crane, Jr., Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to Alpak, Los Angeles, Calif., a copartnershlp ppiication July 30, 1948, Sel'lalV N0. 41,465

vstanding transverse and longitudinal partitions.

It is a more specic object of the invention to provide a'paperboard container having integrally connected side and end walls, bottoinwall forming members hinged to the side and end walls, respectively, and extensions on the bottom wall forming members which are foldable into upright intertting relation for dividing the interior of the container into a plurality of rows of cells and for providing a handle formation of four thicknesses of material.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a. collapsible container formed from a blank of paperboard material which is cut and scored to provide a pluraliiw of connected panels which are so arranged that they form when the container is in erected condition, side and end walls, bottom wall members hinged to the side and end walls, respectively, longitudinal partition members hinged to the bottom wall members which are connected to the side walls .and transverse partition members hinged to the bottom Wall members which are connected to the end walls, the transverse partition members being also hingediy joined to the longitudinal partition members and the partition members being ioldable into upstanding interengaging relation within the container to provide Va combination partition and handle structure therein, the lateral edges of -which are free of the respective side and end walls.

Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible cellular container of the type described in which the bottom wall members and the longitudinal and transverse partition members are interconnected in such a manner that when the carton is erected the bottom wall members and the partition members are automatically 2 partition forming members are hingedly connected to the bottom forming members and also to `each other in such a manner that the collapsed carton may be automatically erected by moving the partition forming members rst in `a lateral direction toward each other and then downwardly into the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container of the type described in which portions at opposite ends of the longitudinal partition forming members are secured to the adjacent transverse partition forming members to foldably connect the respective partition members along the vertical center lines of the transverse' partition members.

apparent to those skilled in this art from a description of the container which is shown by way of illustration in the `accompanying drawings, wherein: l

Fig. 1 is a view of a blank of cut and scored paperboard material which is adapted to be assembled into a container embodying the principles of the invention; f

Fig. 2 is a view of the blank of Fig.. 1 folded over upon itself about a longitudinal line forming the bottom of the side and end wall panels;

Fig. 3 is a view of the blank folded about trans- `verse lines which form opposite corners of the container and secured together ready for shipping to the user by whom it automatically can be erected from its collapsed position for iilling;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view with a portion of a side and end wall broken away, illustrating an intermediate position in the setting up of the container;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with the container in the completely set-up condition;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the container in the set-up condition;

Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken on the line I--l of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a view of the top of the container in the set-up condition; and

Fig. 9 is a view of the bottom of the container in the set-up condition.

Referring, to Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is A. illustrated a blank I0 which is cut and scored caused to move simultaneously into proper erected to provide the necessary panels for erection of a container which incorporates the principal features of the invention.

The wall forming portion of the blank I 0 is divided into side wall forming panels II and I2 and end wall forming panels I3 and I4 by transverse score lines I5, I6 and I1. The one side wall panel II is provided with an end connecting l tongue or flap I3 which is; separated therefrom by the transverse score line I3. 'End wall panel I4 is provided with a cooperating connecting tongue or ap 23 which is separated therefrom prise side panels 28 and 23 which extend from the side wall panels Il and I2 and are separated therefrom by score lines 33 and 3I and end panels 32 and 33 which extend from the end wall panels I3 and I4 and are separated therefrom by score lines 34 and 35. 1

The longitudinal partition forming portions of the blank comprise identical panels 35 and 31 which extend from the bottom side panels 23 and 2S and are separated therefrom by the longitudinal crease lines 33 and 33, respectively. The partition panels 33 and 31 and the adjoining bottom side panels 28 and 23. respectively, are provided with a free side or end edge extending transversely of the blank I3. The free edges 43 and 4I of bottom panel 23 and partition panel 35 are aligned with the corner forming crease line I3 and constitute one end edge of the blank I3. The free edges 42 and 43 of bottom panel 23 and partition panel 31, are formed by cutting the blank I3 along a line extending transversely and aligned with the opposite corner forming crease line I6.

The crease lines 33 and 33 which separate bottom side panels 23 and 23 from the longitudinal partition panels 35 and 31 extend inwardly from the free edges 43, 4I and 42, 43 approximately two-thirds of the length of the side wall panels II and I2 and terminate at the end of diagonal cutting lines 44 and 45 which extend to the ends of transverse crease lines I and I1 and which constitute oblique free edges at the other end of the bottomside panels 23 and 23.

The partition panelsL 33 and 31 are provided with adjoining portions 43 and 41 which extend in a direction transversely of the blank I3 and which project above the longitudinal partition panels 38 and 31 in the erected condition of the carton to provide juxtaposed handle forming portions. The handle forming portions 45 and 41 are provided with oblique free edges 43 and 43.

The edge .43 extends inwardly of the portion 45' from the outer end of the free edge 4I of the partition panel 33 and constitutes a part of the end edge of the blank. The edge 43 extends inwardly -of the portion 41 in the same direction from the end of the edge 43 and constitutes the end of the cutting line separating the panels 23 and 31 from ..65

and 33 terminate at the ends of the oblique edges 44 and 45, of the bottom side panels 23 and 23, respectively.

'Ihe partition panels- 33 and 31 are provided edges 53 and 51 approximately on the center line of. the panels. The apertures 54 and 55 vare of substantial width and accommodate portions of the cross partition members in a manner which will be described. The outward extent or height of the apertures 54 and 55 depends upon the height of the portions of the cross partition panels which they are intended to accommodate.

- In the particular form of carton illustrated the apertures terminate approximately the same distance above the bottom panels 23 and 23 as the top edges of the side and end wall panels Il, I2 and I3, I4. However, the relative height of the partition panels and the side and end walls is subject to considerable variation.

The handle forming extensions 46 and 41 are provided with generally rectangular tab members 53 and 53 which are out to free the ends and the bottom or inner side and creased to permit folding about the upper crease lines 33 and 3 I respectively The tab members 58 and 53 are spaced some distance from the top or outer free edges of the handle extensions 43 and 41 and extend approximately between the inner edges 55 and 51 of the apertures 54, 55 and the fold lines 52 and 53.

The panels 53 and 5I which are separated from the longitudinal partition panels 36 and 31 by ing crease lines I5 and I1. The panels 53 and 5I lines 62 and 53 and secured to. cross partitionare adapted tobe doubled over about the crease forming panels 34 and 55 which are cut from adjacent portions of the blank I3. The outer or top forming edges of the panels 53 and 5I are cut along oblique lines 63 and 61. The inner or bottom edges of thepanels 53 and 5I are cut along lines 38 and 53 which are aligned with the score lines 33 and 33 and which are extended in the transverse direction of the blank at 13 and 1I to the inner ends of the crease lines 52 and 33.

' The cross partition forming panels 54 and 35 are separated from the bottom end panels 32 and A33 by score lines 12 and 13 which extend from the transverse cutting lines 14' and 15 to approximately the center of the panels where they terminate at the outer ends of the oblique cutting lines 16 and 11 which form the end edges of the bottom end panels 32 and 33. The cutting lines 14 and 15 extend in inwardly offset relation to the bottom end panels 32, 33 and the cross partition panels 64, 65 to the inner ends of the fold lines 32 and 63. The cutting lines 14 and 15 denne one side of generally triangular cut-outs or apertures having their other sides-formed by the cutting lines 44 and 45 and 88, 13 and 33, 1I.

The cross partition panels 64 and 55 are divided into two half portions which are adapted to extend on oppositesides of thelongitudinal partition niembers when the container is in the erected condition. Half portion 18 of partition panel 64 is freed at the top and bottom edges by cutting along the curved lines 13 and 33 which extend inwardly from the transverse cutting line 43. The distance between cutting lines 13 and 83 may be varied but the maximum height of portion 13 must be the same or less than the height of the aperture 55in the longitudinal partition panel 31 through with generally rectangular apertures 54 and 55 75 which itis adapted to extend. The free vertical edge of the portion 18 is reduced in height by the curvature of the lines I9 and lltoinsure entry of the portion18 into the aperture 55, and the top and bottom edges formed by these curved cutting lines provide camming surfaces for guiding the portion 18 into proper position. The half portion 8| of-partition panel 85 is freed at the top and bottom edges by cutting along curved lines 82 and 83 in a similar manner to insure proper entry of the portion 8| in the aperture 54 of the longitudinal partition panel 36. The length or height of the free vertical edge 84 of the panel portion 8| is less than the height of the aperture 54 through which it is adapted to extend.

The cross partition panels 64 and 65 are provided with outerextensions 85 and 88 which are secured in part to the panels 58 and 5| and in part to the handle forming extensions 48 and 41 on the longitudinal partition panels 35 and 31. The extensions 85 and 86 are cut along the oblique lines 81 and 88 at one side and provided with apertures 89 and 90 which correspond in size to the apertures formed by handle tabs 58 and 59 in the panels 48 and 41'. y

After the blank I has been cut and scored as illustrated in Fig. 1 it is adapted to be supplied with adhesive and folded into collapsed condition preferably by automatic machinery. The containers are supplied for shipment the collapsed condition.

Adhesive is supplied to the inner side of the one connecting ap 28 as indicated at 9|. The connecting ap I8 at the other end of the blank may or may not be supplied with adhesive on the outside as desired. Adhesive is supplied to the panel portions 50 and 5| (on the bottom side Vas viewed in Fig. l) as indicated at 92 and 93 of Fig. 2. Adhesive is also supplied on the adjoining portions of the handle forming extensions 46 and 41 as indicated at 94 and 95.

While the areas to which the adhesive is supplied are indicated as completely coated with the adhesive, it will be understood that full coverage is not required, it beingsufiicient to supply lines or spots of the adhesive of sufficient extent to hold the members in secured relation when the folding is completed.

The top edge reinforcing flaps 22 and 23 are turned inward about the lines 24 and 25 against the inner faces of the side wall 'panels II and I2 in the folding operation. The blank is thereafter folded about the score lines 30. 3|, 34, 35, which andrei to the user-in" constitute the bottom edges of the side and end walls of the container, to bring the blank into the condition illustrated in Fig. 2. The blank is then folded about the transverse score line I5 and finally about the transverse score line I1 to bring the partition forming panels into overlapped relation as indicated in Fig. 3.

lin this condition the panel member is secured to the adjacent half of the panel member 64 by the adhesive 92 to form one-half of one of the transverse partitions and the handle extension portion 46 is secured by the adhesive 94 to the handle forming portion- 85. The panel 5| is securd to the adjoining half of panel 65 by the adhesive 93 to form one-half of the other transverse partition and the handle forming portion 41 is secured by the adhesive 95 to the handle forming portion 86. The side wall II is hingedly s VV Y In order to place the container In the erected condition the outer folded edges of the container as viewed in Fig. 8 are moved toward each other in a lateral direction to cause the side and end walls to hinge along the vertical crease lines which connect them into squared-up relation. This movement causes the bottom side and end panels 28, 28 and 32, 33 to be pulled downwardly into bottom forming position. As the folded edges of the container are moved toward each other to square up the side and end walls the longitudinal partitions first move laterally relative toeach other and separate in substantially parallel planes. The transverse partitions being hingedly connected to the horizontal partitions along the crease lines 52 and 58 and being horizontally connected to the bottom end panels along the crease lines 12 and 13 hinge about the crease lines 52 and 53 and move the tongue-like portions 18 and 8| into the adjacent apertures 55 and 54 in the horizontal partition members. A s the bottom side and end panels move down into bottom formingr position the longitudinal partition forming members move into valignment in the longitudinal center of the container while the transverse partition forming members swing into partition forming position transversely of the container with the portions 18 and 8| projecting through the apertures 55 and 54, respectively, and resting ioximately against the edges 51 and 56 of the The edge reinforcing aps 22 and 23 present their notches 28 and 21 at the proper position for receiving the folded-edge portions 98 and 91 (Figs. 3, 8 and 9) of the transverse partitions and hold them in vertical alignment.

'.Ihe handle forming tabs 5l and 59 may then be turned back through the apertures on either side of the longitudinal partition members to provide a handle carrying member of six thicknesses of material and to hold the longitudinal partition members in face-to-face contacting alignment.

With the construction shown the container may be cut from the blank and glued and folded by automatic machines. It is readily erected by hand and it is adaptable for use in standard llng machinery.

In the set up position of the container the handle forming portions of the longitudinal partition members are braced against sidewise movement by the transverse partitions. Improved support is provided for the handle portions as well as resistance to bending of the handle when the container is carried. Also there is less tendency for the handle to tear out due to the load placed on the portions which are gripped bythe hand. This construction permits the use of lighter materials inthe container with resulting economy inmanufacture.

While the illustrated form of the container includes the top edge aps 22 and 23. these'members are not necessary for successful operation of the container but may be omitted if desired. The particular shape of the handle portions of the partition members may be varied.

joined to the end wall I4 by the adhesive 9| on the While specillc details of construction have been4 referred to in the illustrated form of the container, it will be appreciated that such details are by way of illustration only and that other details of construction may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a container formed from a blank of cut paperboard material having crease lines defining panels secured together to provide collapsible`side and end walls and bottom wall members hinged to the end and side walls respectively, the improvement comprising longitudinal partition members hinged to the bottom wall members which are hinged to the container side walls., said longitudinal partition members having vertical apertures therein beginning adjacent the hinged connections vwith the bottom walls and extending upwardly and terminating marginally inwardly of thetop edges thereof, and transverse partition members hinged along transverse lines to the bottom wall members which are hinged to 'the container end walls, said transverse` partition members having portions which are adapted to extend through the apertures in the longitudinal partition members and said transverse partition members being hingedly connected along vertical lines to the longitudinal partition members whereby said ltransverse and longitudinal partition members are automatically moved into operative position when the side and end walls and bottom wall 'members are moved into container forming relation.

2. A container as recited in claim 1 wherein -the longitudinal partition forming members are extended upwardly ,and provided .with handle forming apertures whereby, when the containeris filled with bottles having their tops extending to approximately the top of the partition meml bers the llcd containers may be stacked vertically and the container may be carried with the fingers extending through the handle forming apertures and the hand comfortably and snugly positioned in the space between the top portions of the bottles.

3. In a container formed from a blank of cut paperboard material having crease lines dening panels secured together to provide collapsible side and end walls and bottom wall forming ilaps hinged to the end and side walls respectively, the improvement comprising longitudinal partition forming members hinged tothe side bottom wall aps and having apertures -therein spaced inwardly oi opposite vertical edges thereof and extending vertically from said bottom wall flaps to substantially the upperl limits of said partition members, and transverse partition forming members hingedto the end bottom wall flaps and having tongue-like portions which are provided with curved top and bottom edges extending from the one vertical side edge thereof toward the center of the same providing camming surfaces and a side edge of reduced height, said transverse partition members being hingedly joined along vertical lines to the adjacent longitudinal partition memberswhereby said transverse partition members are automatically moved with the bottom wall iiaps in setting up the container to project 8 for securing the longitudinal, partition members together.

5. In a container formed from ablank of cut paperboard material having crease lines dening panels secured together to provide collapsible side and end walls and bottom side and end wall members hinged thereto, the improvement comprising longitudinal partition members hinged to bottom side wall members and having a vertical aperture therein and transverse partition members hinged along transverse lines to the bottom end wall members and having portions whichare adapted to extend through the apertures in the longitudinal partition members, said transverse partitions belng'hinged along vertical lines to said longitudinal partition members whereby said transverse and longitudinal partition members are automatically moved into partition forming position when the side and end walls and bottom wall members aremoved into container forming relation.

6. A container as claimed in claim 5 wherein the longitudinal partition forming members are provided with registering apertures whereby the container may be gripped by the user for carrying when it is lllled with articles.

7. A container as recited in claim 5 wherein the longitudinal partition forming members are provided with laterally extending portions at opposite endsl which, in the erected condition of the container, extend along portions of the cross partition members and are secured thereto in faceto-face relation. g

8. Ina container formed from a blank oi' cut paperboard material having crease lines dening panels secured together to provide collapsible side and end walls and bottom wall forming ilaps hinged to the side and end walls respectively, longitudinal partition forming members hinged to the transversely extending bottom wall flaps and adapted to extend from one end of the container to a transverse partition spaced from the other end, said longitudinal partition forming members having vertical slots intermediate their ends, and transverse partition forming members hinged to the transversely extending bottom wall liaps, said transverse partition forming members having tongue-like portions extending from the one vertical side edge thereof toward the center of the same, said transverse partition members being hingedly joined along their vertical centers to vertical ends of the adjacent longitudinal partition member whereby said transverse partition members are automatically moved with the botthe tongue-like portions thereof through the said tabs being adapted to hinge along their top edge to provide apertures for accommodating the lingers of the user and to provide locking means tom wall aps in setting up the container to project the tongue-like portions thereof through the apertures in said longitudinal partition members.

9. In a container as recited in claim 8 and handle forming extensions on the longitudinal partition members projecting above the upper limits of the vertical apertures therein and provided with generally rectangular cut-out members lhinged along the top edge for accommodating the gether.

WALTON B. CRANE. WILLIAM B. CRANE, JR.

No references cited. 

